Review of My Love Story!!

Ore Monogatari!!, also known as My Love Story, is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a story about love between two main characters – Takeo and Yamato. And at first glance, they look like a mismatch. It doesn’t take a genius to realize as the two looks nothing alike. Takeo looks like a professional sumo wrestler standing nearly 7 feet tall while Yamato has the appearance of a frail schoolgirl. However, the story is more than just about appearances. Because in this love story, destiny connects them in ways that really gives the word ‘love’ its important meaning. Written and crafted by Kazune Kawahara, the seriesis what I consider a classic for the rom-com genre. An interesting catch though is that there isn’t a love triangle between two main guys fighting for a girl. In fact, we have Sunakawa Makoto, a very popular guy who seems to attract almost any girl. The catch is that he is more like the antithesis of a playboy. He doesn’t have any interest in getting a girlfriend but actually devotes his time to help his friend Takeo experience love. Get the general picture? It sets up the primary story that connects Takeo with other characters instead of a drama clingy series. And throughout the way, he becomes part of a love story that changes his life forever.

The first few episodes easily establishes a lot of facts about the main characters. Takeo has the outer appearance of someone that would make almost any girl frighten in fear. However, he is a guy with a heart of gold. His action speaks louder than words as he is dedicated to help others; friends, family, or even strangers. Then, there’s Yamato, a sweet innocent girl who falls for Takeo at first sight after he saves her on the train from an apparent pervert. The series approaches this concept with careful planning as the first episodes builds on the chemistry between the two. Makoto supports them from behind the lines while offering helpful advice. What I find interesting about the initial setup is how Takeo will learn about love. Clearly, he lacks experience when it comes to relationships. These include going on dates, setting up the right moments, or initiating a first kiss. His outer appearance also doesn’t help the fact that he is often misjudged. Yet, the show does a very clever job with fleshing out the characters. Through flashbacks and characterization, we see how Takeo’s personality really is like when he was little. The show also can be persuasive when it comes to letting the audience know why others changes their view on Takeo as the story progresses. A crystal clear way of presenting the story is something that isn’t done so easily with directing but for Ore Monogatari, it knows its ways.

As relationship dynamics is a primary focus in the show, it’s also risky when the story already sets up the main characters as the couple. No, forget set up. How about just bringing them together in union? While the pacing seems a bit abrupt at first, I can honestly say that the show does an appealing job to show their progress as a couple. This is because other characters are introduced to bring out the best of them together. For instance, there’s Ai, Makoto older sister. While she may seem like a love rival at first, the show quickly makes it clear that the only eyes Takeo has for is Yamato. It shows that he is loyal with his commitments and often tries to prove himself as a worthy boyfriend. Many times throughout the show, Takeo appeals to others (including Ai) for advice. These include reading girls magazines, learning to cook, and even trying to very comically to practice kissing with a friend. We also get a good idea that Takeo wants to be with Yamato both physically and emotionally. As he lacks experience in love, the show inspires ways for Takeo to become better person. This is connected by the relationship Takeo shares with Yamato, Makoto, Ai, and more characters later on.

As sweet as the show can be, one might question about the pacing of the series. How does Ore Monogatari formulate into a 2 cour series about a couple that becomes official at so early in the stage? I had some doubts at first about this and it can be understandable if some people feels that the show can be repetitive. Almost every episode feels similar as it focuses on Takeo and Yamato. Hardly any other character becomes the main focus although they do have some roles, whether major or minor. It can also be frustrating sometimes to see how dense Takeo is when taking the initiative that involves what couples should be doing (ex. Holding hands, kissing, etc). In essence, a show like this often puts the couple ahead of others but it isn’t entirely shy to give some supporting characters their own spotlights. Characters such as Saijou and Nanako gets their own exclusive episode while Ai also her spotlight moments with Takeo. In essence, it’ll take patience to watch the show. Luckily, there’s comedy that factors into entertainment. Rather than relying on dirty fan service or shock value, the show has a charming presence of delivering humor. The main part of it comes from the couple of Takeo and Yamato as they show human expressions that you would typically see in any rom-com. Then, there’s also Takeo as he accomplishes nearly inhuman feats because of his impressive physique. Similarly, Makoto and Takeo’s relationship can also get quite comedic because of the latter’s occasional lack in common sense. If you want comedy, then there’s a performance that will get you smiling.

Madhouse adapts the manga with its production and to be quite honest, it’s gorgeous. The color palette like background and character designs illustrates the classic feel of what a rom-com shoujo should be. Character designer Hamada Kunihiko (Nana, Chihayafuru) puts emphasis on the characters’ youthful looks to give them their appeal. Of course, Takeo stands out as the most prominent figure in the show. He is designed to look like a professional sumo wrestler who stands out taller and more ripped than anyone in the show. Yamato has the innocent look of a flower while the Sunakawa siblings are designed to look like beauties. It creates a surge of diversity with the main cast that people can feel attached to. And speaking of diversity, the show also ventures to other settings besides school such as the outdoor woods and beach. Lastly, the show’s fan service isn’t relied on showing skin despite having the classic beach episode. Instead, it further progresses the relationship between Takeo and Yamato. From a humorous perspective, the character reactions is what really brings out the entertainment values that fans may crave for.

Soundtrack is fairly decorative although not outstanding. The OST and OP theme songs are neat for their ability to portray the style of the show. But what may stands out more is the character voice mannerisms. Takeo’s voice sounds like he is a lot older than he appears to be while Yamato is the opposite. She has a soft voice that really shows her innocence. The Sunakawa siblings both have a more mature voice in particular Ai as she is portrayed as the older sister type. So what does this mean? It basically shows that the characters are realistic to their appearance and roles.
No, I wouldn’t say Ore Monogatari is a show that will be bucketing tears. There’s no tragic moments that makes the audience feel like there’s a need to cry. Instead, we get a classic shoujo rom-com with affectionate character relationships. Even the love triangles that occasionally appears in the show doesn’t go into a direction that gets distracting. And while the pacing will feel a bit repetitive, it’s also important to realize the objective of Ore Monogatari!!: to tell a love story with charm, elegance, realism, and developing youth. And that is a certain kind of beautiful.